i.LECO contributes to the Geofit project of EU H2020

i.LECO is using the EcoSCADA platform for the implementation of the data monitoring plan. By synchronizing data from different sources the data is used for verification of the models and to support the simulations.

Start of project: May, 1 2019
Operational as of: October, 1 2019
Location: EU
Main project delivery to: Geofit EU H2020

This case is introduced in July 2020 with partial results (data gathering and simulation) and will be updated in 2021 when the first actual implementation results will become available from the advanced energy management in real life operations.

Overall project summary

GEOFIT has various key objectives as defined on the project page:

https://geofit-project.eu/project/objectives/

In summary the project aims to bring  EGS (Enhanced Geothermal System) to a next level and will work on improvements along the whole chain. Starting from initial customer high level requirements, over to full simulation, physical site assessment, optimal hardware and installation towards final optimal operations. Maximal usage of on-site renewable energy on a most efficient manner are part of the proposition and finally this should bring EGS much closer to wider economical deployment. As an element of the optimal operations also advanced software is in scope and that is exactly in the competence domain of i.LECO.

All together this should lead to the implementation of a global, effective, energy-efficient retrofitting strategy for the stock of existing buildings in Europe – targeting a ROI between 5 to 6 years boosting the adoption of appropriate geothermal based energy-efficient building retrofitting technologies and methods.

The design and implementation will be done on 5 different demo sites spread across Europe to test and validate in as many as possible different climatological situations:

  • A household on the Aran islands (Ireland)
  • A sportcomplex in Galway (Ireland)
  • Part of a university building in Bordeaux (France)
  • School in Sant Cugat (Spain)
  • Historical building in Perugia (Italy)

i.LECO contribution and added-value:

i.LECO has taken over the role from Enervalis as of May 2019 from a project that was started 1st May 2018. i.LECO is using it’s EcoSCADA platform for the implementation of the data monitoring plan and preparing for the real value-add with optimal operations of the novel heating systems. By synchronizing data from different sources the data is used for verification of the models and to support the simulations.

As an example below are some screens of some of the data being captured on one of the sites being San Cugat in Spain.

Based on above fine-granualar and extensive pre-monitoring data, the dimensions for the HEX (alternatives for current boreholes of 100-300m depth – compact geometries based on the Helix, slinky heat exchangers or “earth baskets” ) and the Heat-Pumps can be simulated and are optimized to achieve the objective of the Geofit project.

As an example above site in Spain the retrofit goal is to replace as much as possible from the existing gasboilers with the new geothermal system. Multiple scenario’s are simulated and below is an example of a week in January in which only 1 of the 3 existing gas boilers (GB 1 => 3) is now used and leaving a good baseline usage of the new to be installed geothermal system of in this case 50KW.

In work package 5.3 i.LECO is responsible for the design and the implementation of the control strategy in the different demo sites. This control strategy needs to be multi-dimensional and consider all above key requirements:

  • BMS (Building Management System) should become a BEMS (Building Energy Management System)
  • Cost of the energy should be as low as possible
  • Regeneration of the HEX in the ground
  • Optimal use of the local produced energy
  • Possible usage of flexibility for DSM (Demand Side Management) services

The implementation decisions are taken now and hence soon the algorithm implementation can start which anyhow will build further on existing baseline core elements of the i.LECO portfolio ranging from forecast to optimization and actual dispatching of control signals.

More information overall and project updated information can be found on : https://geofit-project.eu/